Make Your Point > Archived Issues > OLD-FANGLED
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"OLD-FANGLED"
Meaning:
We're familiar with "new-fangled," that funny word for new stuff (like trends and technology) that baffles you.
But did you know that "old-fangled" is also a perfectly acceptable word? It means old-fashioned, or sticking to the old way of doing things.
Pronunciation:
OLD fang uld
Part of speech:
Adjective.
(Adjectives are describing words, like “large” or “late.”
They can be used in two ways:
1. Right before a noun, as in “an old-fangled professor.”
2. After a linking verb, as in "The professor was old-fangled.”)
Other forms:
Old-fangledness.
Some prefer to drop the hyphen and write "oldfangled."
How to use it:
As you can tell, this word has a funny, lighthearted tone.
Talk about old-fangled people, things, and ideas: the old-fangled shop owner who keys in your items by hand instead of using a scanner, the old-fangled straw broom that barely leaves things cleaner than they were, the old-fangled notion that AOL is the gateway to the Internet, and so on.
To me it's all mostly junk, just machines and toys with a bit of history and a lot of dust, but the guys on Pawn Stars seem to have a soft spot for everything old-fangled.
Kids these days don't realize that before we had cell phones, we had to make very specific plans with people about where and when to meet, and then if anything went wrong, our only recourse was that old-fangled contraption: the pay phone.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "old-fangled" means when you can explain it without saying "outdated" or "no longer current."
Think of something you still really like that's old or old-fashioned, and fill in the blanks: "I'll never (give up / stop using / stop loving) my old-fangled _____."
Example: "I'll never stop using my old-fangled quilts from Grandmother."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
Playing With Words:
Throughout December, we sampled questions from Orijinz, an awesome series of games about the origins of words, phrases, and quotes. Click here if you want to check them out.
Yesterday's question:
Guess the comedian!
“I went to a fight last night and a hockey game broke out.”
“I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous, everyone hasn’t met me yet.”
“I had no friends. I remember the seesaw. I had to keep running from one end to the other.”
“With my old man I got no respect. I asked him, ‘How can I get my kite in the air?’ He told me to run off a cliff.”
Answer:
"The comedian is: Rodney Dangerfield."
And now, a new game for January!
This month, we'll be playing with some fascinating thematic word lists assembled by Stephen Chrisomalis, an English language expert over at The Phrontistery who kindly gave permission for me to use his work. (Check out his site; you will definitely enjoy it!)
Try a question each day, and see the right answers here the following day--or if you can't wait, follow the link to Stephen's lists to dig out the answers yourself. Have fun!
Today's question:
Using your knowledge of word roots, match each adjective to its meaning:
Something alveolate is _____.
Something cosmotellurian is _____.
Something gnomic is _____.
Answer bank:
- of, like or pertaining to both heaven and earth
- of or like a honeycomb
- signifying general truth; pertaining to aphorisms or proverbs
Can't wait until tomorrow for the right answers?
Check out Stephen's full list and discussion at the Phrontistery.
A Point Well Made:
Gustav Friedrich Waagen: "First delight, then instruct."
1. One opposite of OLD-FANGLED is
A. STATE-OF-THE-ART
B. TIP-OF-THE-TONGUE
C. NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK
2. _____ is bursting with old-fangled _____.
A. The farmers' market .. coconuts and avocados
B. The elementary school library .. kindergarteners
C. The antique store downtown .. knickknacks
Answers are below.
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Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. A
2. C
Exploring the archives:
Today's word is a fun one for lighthearted talk about whatever is old-fashioned. When you want to be more serious, you might describe something outdated as "_____scent," meaning that it isn't completely gone yet, but it's starting to get old and even passé.
"OLD-FANGLED"
Pronunciation: Part of speech: Other forms: |